Virginia Becomes the 12th State to Mandate Telemedicine Coverage

Last week, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell signed into law S.B. 675, mandating private pay health insurers to cover and reimburse services provided through telemedicine on the same basis as those provided through face-to-face contact. The new law takes effect January 1, 2011.

Virginia joins 11 other states that have adopted such mandates. Those states are:

• California
  
• Colorado
  
• Georgia
  
• Hawaii
  
• Kentucky
  
• Louisiana
  
• Maine
  
• New Hampshire
  
• Oklahoma
  
• Oregon
  
• Texas

For further information, please contact Janice A. Brannon, ASHA's Director of State Special Initiatives, by e-mail at jbrannon@asha.org or by phone at 301-296-5666.

Taken from www.asha.org/News/Advocacy/2010.